What Pitso Mosimane said about Percy Tau’s Al Ahly situation
Former Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane says his conscience is clear as Percy Tau’s future at the Egyptian giants seemingly hangs in the balance.
Mosimane has been accused of “killing” the Bafana Bafana star’s career by signing him for Ahly.
The three-time CAF Champions League winner has explained how the former Mamelodi Sundowns forward ended up in his Ahly dressing room.
“Let’s be honest, Percy didn’t have other issues – he just couldn’t make the [Brighton] team. The coach [Graham Potter] felt he couldn’t make the team. And remember, everybody questioned why he’d come to Al Ahly,” Mosimane was quoted by City Press.
The 58-year-old coach was speaking after receiving his CAF Pro coaching licence at SAFA House in Johannesburg.
“I told Percy: ‘You have LaLiga, the Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga. Check in those spaces and if you have something, stay there. But if you don’t have anything in those spaces, at least you’ll get to go to the [Fifa Club] World Cup with me [at Al Ahly].’”
“Now everybody says: ‘Ja, Pitso o bolaile career ya mfana o! [Pitso killed this boy’s career!]’ What career did I kill? I spoke to him, and Percy is smart. He looks after himself, and he’s not a guy who’s killed by off-field things. I told him and his agent that I’m just a call away.”
“My involvement [in Percy Tau’s move] and my being there is a different story when I’m not there – but I also had to do what I did [leave Al Ahly].
“And, by the way, Percy didn’t come for less money than he’d received at Brighton. My conscience is clear,” he said.
He further said he was not sure whether the 28-year-old made the right move. His future has been the subject of speculation since the departure of Mosimane. An injury has not made the situation any better.
On the other hand, Mosimane is still enjoying his sabbatical in South Africa.